March 6, 2025 • 5 mins
MPI's chief science advisor joins us from the Science for Farmers site on day one of the Wānaka Show, where he's continuing his Fieldays Roadshows, having been at Northland last week. What’s the mood on the ground? Why should farmers seek you out? And it’s not just MPI – who else is involved?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is a beautiful day in Wanaka for day one
of the Uppercluther Amp Show, the Wanaka Show. There for
us on the ground is the Chief Science Advisor for MPI,
doctor John Roach, who's standing looking at the beautiful mountains
surrounding Wonaica and John, it reminds you. It reminds you
(00:20):
of your home country, Ireland.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
It does two degree Jimmy, good afternoon everyone. Look it's
apart from the fact that sun is cracking the stores
and there's hardly a cloud in the sky. I could
be standing in Clarney and looking at some of the
mountains at the moment. It is absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I didn't realize Ireland had mountains as big as New
Zealand's there you go, mind you I haven't been there
since two thousand and three. And the two things that
stick out for Ireland we will get onto our correct
topic in a moment for me was the smoky bars
in two thousand and three. You hadn't banned smoking at
that stage. And the size, the size of your cows
and the smallness of your herds. But all that's changed.
(00:59):
As a John.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, certainly the smoking and bars has changed. The barris
are still as good fun as they ever were, but
at least you can breathe and and your your clothes
don't have to go through a dry cleaner the next morning.
Herds are still smaller than they would be here in
New Zealand. Obviously it still sits within the EEU system,
but they're a lot bigger than they were when you
were there, Jamie. And yeah, the the in the majority
(01:22):
of farming systems, they've moved towards genetics very similar to
what we have here in New Zealand. So smaller cows,
more crossbreads, a lot more jersey being used as well.
So yeah, we've learned a lot from the New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
You're doing the field dy circuit at the moment. You
were in Northland last week, obviously Wonka today. I think
next week at Central Districts we've got Kurwe as well,
and then on to National Field Days. You're in the
Science for Farmers' site. Why should farmers come along and
see you at these field days?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Oh look, I think that's all correct. I think if
they've got any questions they could come and see if Jamie.
What we've done here is after setting up on farm support.
I was asking farmers. You know, what value could we
add to them that their their current advisor couldn't or
that their current organizations couldn't. And overwhelmingly farmers told me
(02:15):
they wouldn't have an idea who was a scientist in
New Zealand who was doing the science that was relevant
to them. And and so what we've done is we've
gathered the scientists together under one on the one roof
so that they can come and they can come and
ask whoever questions they want. So we have we have
ag Research and Massy University, we have l I C.
Manachi fenoel Lean Care Research, Agri zero and the New
(02:38):
Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Center here with us as
well as my team on of on farm support. And
there's we're not selling anything. All we're doing is answering questions.
And uh, you know, we've been we've been going out
for a couple of hours and the amount of people
that are coming through the door. I'm actually standing opposite
now looking in and the number of people that are
(02:58):
inside are talking to the science because it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
What sort of questions are the farmers asking you? Are
they asking, for instance, about greenhouse gas submissions or is
that or are you pointing them to AGGRI zero in.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Z for that a mixture. Actually, so we've got an
activation board here that we talked with farmers about, which
is here's here's your current farm, here's a number of
things that contribute to your greenhouse gast footprint, and just
have a chat about how we could do those things
better and lower that emissions intensity. And then if they're
interested in talking to us about you know, what's coming
(03:33):
in the future of what's being invested in to reduce
meat in or nitrosox side, we take them through to
AGUR zero and ends at edge RC. So that's certainly
one of the conversations. And in Dargaville last week, you know,
great conversations farmers. You know, farmers really interested and the
mood on the ground really good.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You appointed the Chief Science Advisor for MPI in June
of twenty eighteen. That put you right on the hot
spot with us. Is this one of the greatest skype
x of all time for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I don't know, actually we really thought about it from
that perspective. By the time we had started this initiative,
you know, the team had got both of us under control.
Touch Wood. You know, it's been a long time since
we had a positive case and have to take my
head off to my colleagues and Vice Security in New
Zealand and all of the people that work with us
on that. But this, this is the the on Tramp
(04:28):
Support team. The idea for it was born out of that.
You know, we didn't have a real strong regional presence
at that time. You know, the math advisors were privatized back.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
In the late eighties and and so without that we
weren't as able to work with the regional teams and
the people in the regions and so on TAM support.
I've got ten teams around the country. I've got nearly
sixty people out there and you know the only thing
we want.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
To do is help. So whatever we can do to
help pick up the poine and give us ring.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, and I'll give MPI a pat on the back
for the bird flow outbreak here in Otaga as well well.
Hand it's very important that you keep our borders secure,
Doctor John Roach, a Chief Science Advisor for MPI. You
enjoyed the one of Ka show and enjoy the Jack
Russell race.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Well do, Thanks very much. Bearing me,
It is a beautiful day in Wanaka for day one
of the Uppercluther Amp Show, the Wanaka Show. There for
us on the ground is the Chief Science Advisor for MPI,
doctor John Roach, who's standing looking at the beautiful mountains
surrounding Wonaica and John, it reminds you. It reminds you
(00:20):
of your home country, Ireland.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
It does two degree Jimmy, good afternoon everyone. Look it's
apart from the fact that sun is cracking the stores
and there's hardly a cloud in the sky. I could
be standing in Clarney and looking at some of the
mountains at the moment. It is absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I didn't realize Ireland had mountains as big as New
Zealand's there you go, mind you I haven't been there
since two thousand and three. And the two things that
stick out for Ireland we will get onto our correct
topic in a moment for me was the smoky bars
in two thousand and three. You hadn't banned smoking at
that stage. And the size, the size of your cows
and the smallness of your herds. But all that's changed.
(00:59):
As a John.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Well, certainly the smoking and bars has changed. The barris
are still as good fun as they ever were, but
at least you can breathe and and your your clothes
don't have to go through a dry cleaner the next morning.
Herds are still smaller than they would be here in
New Zealand. Obviously it still sits within the EEU system,
but they're a lot bigger than they were when you
were there, Jamie. And yeah, the the in the majority
(01:22):
of farming systems, they've moved towards genetics very similar to
what we have here in New Zealand. So smaller cows,
more crossbreads, a lot more jersey being used as well.
So yeah, we've learned a lot from the New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
You're doing the field dy circuit at the moment. You
were in Northland last week, obviously Wonka today. I think
next week at Central Districts we've got Kurwe as well,
and then on to National Field Days. You're in the
Science for Farmers' site. Why should farmers come along and
see you at these field days?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Oh look, I think that's all correct. I think if
they've got any questions they could come and see if Jamie.
What we've done here is after setting up on farm support.
I was asking farmers. You know, what value could we
add to them that their their current advisor couldn't or
that their current organizations couldn't. And overwhelmingly farmers told me
(02:15):
they wouldn't have an idea who was a scientist in
New Zealand who was doing the science that was relevant
to them. And and so what we've done is we've
gathered the scientists together under one on the one roof
so that they can come and they can come and
ask whoever questions they want. So we have we have
ag Research and Massy University, we have l I C.
Manachi fenoel Lean Care Research, Agri zero and the New
(02:38):
Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Center here with us as
well as my team on of on farm support. And
there's we're not selling anything. All we're doing is answering questions.
And uh, you know, we've been we've been going out
for a couple of hours and the amount of people
that are coming through the door. I'm actually standing opposite
now looking in and the number of people that are
(02:58):
inside are talking to the science because it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
What sort of questions are the farmers asking you? Are
they asking, for instance, about greenhouse gas submissions or is
that or are you pointing them to AGGRI zero in.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Z for that a mixture. Actually, so we've got an
activation board here that we talked with farmers about, which
is here's here's your current farm, here's a number of
things that contribute to your greenhouse gast footprint, and just
have a chat about how we could do those things
better and lower that emissions intensity. And then if they're
interested in talking to us about you know, what's coming
(03:33):
in the future of what's being invested in to reduce
meat in or nitrosox side, we take them through to
AGUR zero and ends at edge RC. So that's certainly
one of the conversations. And in Dargaville last week, you know,
great conversations farmers. You know, farmers really interested and the
mood on the ground really good.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You appointed the Chief Science Advisor for MPI in June
of twenty eighteen. That put you right on the hot
spot with us. Is this one of the greatest skype
x of all time for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I don't know, actually we really thought about it from
that perspective. By the time we had started this initiative,
you know, the team had got both of us under control.
Touch Wood. You know, it's been a long time since
we had a positive case and have to take my
head off to my colleagues and Vice Security in New
Zealand and all of the people that work with us
on that. But this, this is the the on Tramp
(04:28):
Support team. The idea for it was born out of that.
You know, we didn't have a real strong regional presence
at that time. You know, the math advisors were privatized back.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
In the late eighties and and so without that we
weren't as able to work with the regional teams and
the people in the regions and so on TAM support.
I've got ten teams around the country. I've got nearly
sixty people out there and you know the only thing
we want.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
To do is help. So whatever we can do to
help pick up the poine and give us ring.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Yeah, and I'll give MPI a pat on the back
for the bird flow outbreak here in Otaga as well well.
Hand it's very important that you keep our borders secure,
Doctor John Roach, a Chief Science Advisor for MPI. You
enjoyed the one of Ka show and enjoy the Jack
Russell race.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Well do, Thanks very much. Bearing me,
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